ABSTRACT
Objective: To evaluate the effect of combination therapy of Nigella sativa and Trigonella foenum-graecum seeds on body mass index [BMI] in type 2 diabetic patients.
Setting: This clinical trial was conducted in the diabetic outpatient clinics of Isra University Hyderabad and Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences Jamshoro, from March to August 2008
Design:A randomized clinical trial
Subjects and Methods: For this study, Type 2 diabetic patients on glibenclamide, who gave written consent to volunteer in the study, were randomly divided into two groups. Fifty patients in group A [control group] were kept on glibenclamide, while 50 patients in group B [test group] were given capsules containing combined powders of N. sativa and T. foenum-graecum seeds in addition to their routine dose of glibenclamide. Patients in both groups were treated for 3 months. BMI was calculated for every patient at the start and after 3 months of therapy
Results: A favorable impact of combination therapy with N. sativa and T. foenum-graecum seeds in reducing BMI was noted in the test group in comparison to the control group, but overall differences between groups were not statistically significant
Conclusion: This study indicates that combination therapy of N. sativa and T. foenum-graecum has some effectiveness in controlling BMI in type 2 diabetic patients. Further study with an adequate sample size is recommended